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Yoga: No Apologies Necessary

Kaitlin Quistgaard is the editor in chief of Yoga Journal.

January 12, 2012

There’s no denying that yoga has earned itself a rep as a purveyor of smokin’ hot bodies, that some classes are unabashedly physical, that not everyone practices with the aim of attaining enlightenment. But does the popularity of physical practice mean that yoga as a spiritual tradition — said to confer on its devotees a still mind and absolute knowledge of The Truth — has been reduced to a fitness craze and lost its true purpose? Not a chance.

Yoga students come to the mat as we are -- with all our imperfections. And yes, that means with our vanity, but that's O.K.

Today, more people than ever are studying ancient yogic texts, breathing practices and meditations, and devotedly applying yogic teachings to their daily lives. With around 15 million Americans practicing yoga, there’s room for diversity and for the practice to evolve in more than one direction at a time.

And while it’s tempting to think that the various reasons students come to the mat — to ease back pain, to relieve stress, to discover the essence of who you are, to get a “yoga butt” — can be classified into some kind of hierarchy of worthiness, the beauty of this rich and multilayered practice is that it meets each of you where you are, without judgment. In the hands of a competent teacher, you can learn to rock a tough pose, tone your abs, deeply relax your nervous system and dive deep into a meditation that offers you a glimpse of your own true nature — sometimes all in the same class.

The real value of yoga, beyond its physical and mental benefits, is the opportunity it offers to know yourself. Alone on your mat, with your breath and a few poses, you get to see: Are you a good listener, able to hear not just the teacher’s instructions, but what your body is telling you? Are you so eager to get into a handstand, like the accomplished students around you, that you recklessly fling yourself upside down? Is your mind busy judging your neighbor for caring more about sculpted arms than a quiet mind?

Yoga students come to the mat as we are — with all of our imperfections. And yes, that means with our vanity, our ego, our unskillful decisions and often with a willingness to take a good look at ourselves and work fiercely toward changing attitudes and behaviors that we can see aren’t working. Along the way, we might enjoy the byproduct of better health, a calmer mind, even a cute backside. Do we really have to apologize for that?